Adventure Club FAQs
Adventure Safety
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Bobby Troup, referred to by some as “The Dog Whisperer,” and by others (in an embarrassingly over the top approbation), as “The Dog God.” is the owner of Ruff Rangers Adventures. His happy pack of doggy friends enjoy an idyllic life of daily adventure and exercise throughout the mountains and plains of Colorado. Ruff Rangers’ goal is to safely provide and tend to adventurous pups whose owners recognize the benefits of fresh air, exercise and boundless adventure.
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Ruff Rangers Adventures’ priority is the safety and well-being of all of our four-legged friends. We do everything possible to make sure no one gets hurt on our adventures. Of course, as is the case with any physical activity in the outdoors, there is the possibility someone may suffer minor injuries inherent interacting in the wilds. In response to over thirty years of running a pack of dogs in the wild, Bobby has constructed a comprehensive protocol for dealing with emergencies. The reality of the situation is that rarely does anything unsafe arise when one sets our dog’s safety as priority number one.
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Ruff Rangers has developed an elaborate set of strategies in order to anticipate emergency situations. In addition to a cell phone, we carry a two-way satellite communication device. We also have GPS collars for the packs. Clients may request that their dog always wear such a collar for an additional charge.
The client information file contains particulars regarding their preferred veterinarian. Should a true emergency situation occur, the dog will be brought to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital.
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As Ruff Rangers, dogs will be in environments that harbor the potential for risk and injury. Interacting in the outdoors around other dogs, off leash, near water and other potential hazards does open the possibility for injury. Dogs typically remain with the pack while out on the move.
We do everything possible to keep your dog safe. Because they are animals we cannot 100% determine their behavior. Despite the stated risks, over thirty years of experience managing a pack of dogs has resulted only in the rare typical injuries such as minor paw pad cuts and broken claw nails.
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We are bonded, licensed and insured through Pet Sitters Associates.
Logistics
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Dogs are picked up at a central meeting spot in west Boulder on the day of their adventure. There is a small, paved parking lot at the entrance to Boulder Canyon on Boulder Canyon Drive at the western end of Pearl Street. The Ruff Ranger Adventure Wagon will meet you there at 11 am for pickup of your dog and at 5 pm for drop-off to you. That gives us six whole hours to do our thing together!
On half-day Tuesdays we will meet up at this same location at 12;30 for pickup and we will be back by 3:00 for drop off.
We offer home pickup and drop-off for an additional fee.
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We accept cash, Venmo and Zelle. Payments can be made in-person or through those apps.
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Six hour daily adventures are $400 per four weeks regardless of the group your pup is in. Purchasing a four-pack of adventures (which can be used at any time or date) is $380.
Adding a second dog to the mix means that dog is billed at half the price of the first dog.
A third dog from the same house is billed at one quarter the price of the first dog.
Optional Adventure Club memberships are $100 per year. As stated, one does not need to be a member. It does prove to be beneficial, though, as it offers many discounts on Ruff Ranger’s services and merchandise. Membership also grants you priority booking for your dog. That way, your hound will always have a spot in the pack ahead of non-members.
By purchasing a yearly club membership you save 5% on adventure four-packs for either group. This brings the price down to $380 for a four-pack or $95 per adventure!
Club membership permits one to schedule their adventures at your discretion. If you can’t make a particular session, you will have credit to partake in a future date of your choosing.
Tuesdays half day adventures are $60. A four-pack of Tuesdays is $240.
Half day Tuesday four-packs are $228 with club membership, making each adventure $57
Boarding at the Ruff Ranger Ranch is $89 per night. All boarders get the seventh night free if you book for a week or more. Boarding includes participation in any adventures we have scheduled.
Boarding is $84 per night if one is an Adventure Club member.
Individual dog training is $130 per one hour session at my choice of location, or your home.
Adventure Club members receive a 5% discount on all training.
Merchandise from the Ruff Rangers Mercantile is 5% off list price with membership.
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Cancellation of services within 24 hours will forfeit the session’s charges. Adventure club members have 12 hours before a date to cancel.
Signing up for any adventure or service within 12 hours of the event will result in an addition of 10% to the charges.
Adventure Club members can add an adventure outing up until 2 hours before the event at no extra charge.
Approval Process
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The preliminary meetup gives us a great deal of information regarding your dog’s temperament. This will establish if they are a good fit to be a Ruff Ranger.
We look for things like compatibility with other dogs, what their behavior is in a pack, whether or not they have a suitable recall and how athletic they are.
Your dog isn’t expected to be perfect, no one’s is. Participating in Ruff Rangers Adventures will be a major step towards making your pup a “canine good citizen.” They will begin to develop into the dog you always wanted them to be. They will also be more contented, more self-assured and be grateful you have afforded them the best pet life possible.
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We will set up a meet and greet to spend a bit of time interacting and watching your dog in a social environment around other dogs. We have strict standards to maintain safety and order within the pack. Aggressiveness, fighting, overt dominance and bullying are all examples of behavior we will not condone. A visit with your candidate will tell quite a bit and will usually establish whether or not your dog will work well with the other pack mates.
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It doesn’t happen often, but reasons dogs may be denied are:
Straying from the pack
Threatening the physical or emotional safety of humans or animals
Health concerns that may impact our activities
Aggressive tendencies towards other dogs or people
Great fear or anxiety in the car or in small spaces
We cannot work with females in heat or an un-neutered male who harasses other dogs
Play, or behavior such as neck grabs or shaking is concerning. We can discuss these undesirable behaviors and decide if they may potentially be remedied, or be cause for denial of services. Other potentially problematic behaviors include; extreme anxiety, demand barking, picking on other dogs, biting and pulling objects away from the adventure leader, excessive jumping, etc.
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Clients need to be honest when completing the behavioral component forms when signing up for Ruff Rangers Adventures. It is important that we know everything about your dog so our adventures can be an enjoyable and a pleasant experience for everyone (including the other dogs in the pack).
We will detail the type of dog harness we require for your dog and where you can get one.
We ask that your dog have up-to-date personal id tags (and chips, if that is the case).
We also request that your dog be current on vaccinations.
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Contact Bob, here on the Ruff Rangers website, or give him a call or text. Set up a meetup to approve your dog.
Once you have been approved, you will be directed to the website to fill out the appropriate forms and watch the safety video.
At that point, all you do is schedule your best buddy’s adventures, boarding dates or training dates.
It’s THAT easy!!!